Nor’Easter

on February 19, 2009

Road Trip Update: Dustin and I have gotten in two full days of climbing here in North Conway, NH. We’ve been cruising around the classic Frankenstein Cliff just north of town, doing a bunch of classics each day. Tuesday we did: Standard Route Left (WI3, 2 pitches), Waterfall (WI3, 1 pitch), Chia (WI3+, 1 pitch), and Pegasus (WI4, 1 pitch). Yesterday we did Lost in the Woods (WI4, 1 pitch), Standard Route Right (WI3, 2 pitches), Dracula (WI4/4+, 1 pitch) and Hobbit Couloir (WI5, 2 pitches), and Chia (again, so Dustin could lead it). All in all, we’ve been getting it done.

I almost took my first leader fall on ice yesterday also. In the middle of the overhanging pillar of pitch two on the Hobbit Couloir, I was matching hands on my tool when it shifted and started to lift out of the ice. As I began to fall away from the ice I was able to grab my other shaky tool and stay upright. Terrifying! It would have been about a 20′ fall, but it was steep so I probably would have been ok. I’m glad that I didn’t find out.

Anyways, late last night it stared to snow and it’s dumped about 10″ so far. I guess it’s a classic “Nor’Easter,” which just means that it’s going to puke snow for a day and then get nice again. The winter storm warning is going to end at 1PM today–in a couple hours–so we’ll hopefully get out of this coffee shop soon and get on some more ice. I hope so…